


Of Ships and OTPs

by granderobino



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Charlie and Kevin never died, International Fanworks Day 2016, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 19:27:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6022051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/granderobino/pseuds/granderobino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I wonder what would happen if Dean went to a Dr. Sexy fan convention</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Ships and OTPs

Dean looked around, trying to get his bearings and assess the situation. 

If you had told him a year ago- or, hell, even a week ago- that he'd be in this place surrounded by all these…people(?) he'd have called you a damned liar. But now…

How did this happen? Why was he even here? How was this his life?

Oh. Right.

Sammy. That bitch. Dean was SO gonna get him back for this. 

"Dean." 

The gravelly sounding voice reminded him that, at least, he had an ally in facing this unfamiliar situation. 

Dean turned to find Castiel looking at him with the kind of earnest yet eager expression that Charlie had once described as adorkable. 

"Hey Cas. Whatcha' got there?" He asked, noticing the angel was holding some serious swag.

"I have taken all the required steps to see that we are properly checked in and, in return have acquired these items," Castiel spoke very solemnly as held out a lanyard and wrist band and indicated that Dean needed to put them on.

Cas, of course, already had his lanyard around his neck - even though it hung slightly askew - and held out his left arm to demonstrate to Dean how to properly wear the rubbery band around his wrist. As stubbornness was Dean's default setting in these situations, he nearly threw the proffered trinkets just to see how far they'd fly.

But when he saw the excited look on Castiel's face, Dean decided to suck it up. I mean he's faced ghosts, demons, the occasional rogue angel, vampires and more variations of monsters than most people ever heard of. He even sorta helped save the world (according to Cas). So, yeah. Dean could get through the next couple days weirdness.

Besides, he was gonna use any bad experience here as fuel for his revenge plan against his brother. Clowns, he thought, were a good start.

So Dean smiled and slipped the lanyard around his neck, and worked the wristband over his left hand.

"Okay, dude…you might wanna dial it back on the excitement though. You wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea and think you're some sort of nerd fanboy or something," Dean said with a smile.

Instead of being offended by Dean's jibe, Cas fixed him with a look of long-suffering disdain.

"Right. I'm the fanboy. It may surprise you to know that Dr. Sexy MD was not part of entire library of great literary works imparted on my consciousness by Metatron. I only know of it's existence based on your insisting, nearly every time we found ourselves on the road, staying in a motel with a television, that we 'catch an episode-'"

Uh oh. Cas was using air quotes. That's usually a sign that he's getting testy, thought Dean

" - which often led to another episode…or even a marathon. Not that I minded. I found them entertaining. And I must admit, I was impressed that you could recite plot and dialogue of so many episodes. Indicating you were a bit of a 'fanboy' yourself. Though I am evolved enough not to find that term as offensive as you do."

Castiel stopped his rant and took a breath.

Dean raised his hands in surrender and interjected, "Okay. I get it. Sorry. You know I was only kidding, right?"

Then he saw it. Cas was grinning. He wasn't upset at all. Well, maybe a little.

"I should hope so. After all, it's not the characterization of being a fan that is hurtful. Though I do take umbrage at your usage of the term 'nerd' in reference to me."

Air quotes again. Probably gonna remind me how he raised me from perdition and how his true form was the size of the Chrysler Building or something, thought Dean.

Instead Cas surprised him with this bit of wisdom, "Besides Charlie warned me that you might act this way. But she assured me that it was perfectly acceptable, and even encouraged, to 'let my freak-flag fly' at these events," he said with a bit of smug satisfaction.

Oh, so Charlie was in on this conspiracy too….Good to know, thought Dean as he added her name to the revenge-plan-list.

"Oh, well, if anybody was on expert on that it would be the Queen of Moondoor," Dean quipped.

"I don't know why you say it in that tone, Dean. After all, she said you were the best handmaiden she had during her reign. Though, I must admit I did not understand that reference, as my knowledge of Moondoor lore was not extensive…"

"Wait up! You actually have knowledge Moondoor lore? How is that even possible? Did Metatron…?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Dean. But I do know how to use a computer…" 

Dean arched a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"Well, I know how to use a computer now that Sam taught me how to do so without actually setting it on fire," Cas amended. "And there is this wondrous thing called the 'internet' where I can find a myriad of information about anything. Including much, as you can imagine, I'd rather not know."

This last bit, Cas said, with a knowing glance and a shudder.

Yeah. Dean could imagine. Some of the stuff he's seen…let's just say that there are monsters out there that don't come close to internet-level scariness. He nodded and gave an answering shudder.

Then he heard the scream. Dammit, could he not just have one weekend off from hunting?

He turned just in time to see a small cluster of young women rushing toward him and Cas, and he wondered, briefly, when his being a Hunter became so obvious to civilians.

Then he noticed that the girls weren't cowering in fear but, instead, seemed flushed with excitement. And their screams weren't really screams (at least not the kind he was used to hearing), but more like 'squeeees'. 

And he hated himself, just a little, for knowing that term. 

Naturally, Dean looked behind him, expecting to see one of the Dr. Sexy cast walking by, but it was only him and Cas in this corner. What was all this fuss about?

"Ohmygahd! I love your cosplay," gushed a woman wearing a convention lanyard and brandishing her cellphone. "You know most of the time guys just think they can put on a lab coat and - poof - they're Dr. Sexy. But it takes a true fan to be able to rock the Casual-Dr. Sexy-Jeans-Flannel-Cowboy Boots-vibe. And YOU," she said as she advanced on Cas so quickly that the Angel jumped back and Dean felt a sudden surge of protectiveness. "Well, you're just perfect as his fish-out-of-water partner. I especially love that you're wearing a flannel shirt that’s just a little too big, because you borrowed it from him," she said nodding toward Dean.

And she wasn't wrong about that part, at least, Dean noted.

"Because it was that closest thing your could find when you woke up from your shared night of passion."

Wait. What?! 

Dean noticed Cas' eyes had gotten as big as saucers.

Now the rest of the girls were grabbing the one with the cell and telling her to calm down.

"Brandy, now you're veering off into fanfic territory," one of them said with an apologetic smile as she got in between (Crazy)-Brandy and the guys.

"Seriously though, it is the best Cosplay I've seen here. You're gonna be in the contest later, right? You would definitely win," she enthused.

"Fanfic, my ass! I'll bet you next season the writers will finally listen to us fans and put your characters together. It's obvious they've been headed that direction for the last three or four seasons. He's the only relationship of Sexy's that's withstood the test of time-"

"Well, if they didn't always kill off the women that Dr. Sexy got involved with," argued another girl.

Dean and Cas traded bewildered looks.

"Oh, look! They're doing that thing! You know, the one where they share those secret meaningful glances…"

And dammit! If Dean didn't know exactly what she was talking about.

All the girls seemed to sigh in unison.

Crap.

The saner of the girl's stepped up to offer a reasonable way to placate Brandy and the rest.

"Look, would you mind if we got a couple of pics. Then we'll leave you alone. Promise."

"Well, I suppose I could do that. Whaddaya say, Cas?" Dean looked at Cas with a mixture of bravado quiet desperation that the angel was sure to recognize and he nodded as he moved closer to Dean as a show of support.

There was a blur of cellphones and digital cameras waved at them with several tiny flashes. Dean had to admit the attention was kind of flattering.

"That’s great, now closer. Put your arm around him…" 

"Can we get a kiss?"

"Sure, Sweetheart," Dean replied as he moved to give the young woman a peck on the cheek.

She blushed and fanned herself.

"Wow! Thanks for that…but I was talking about you two," she said gesturing between Dean and Cas.

"Aaannnd I think we're done here," interjected the same girl who first suggested taking the pics.

There was a chorus of disappointed, 'awwws' followed by more thank yous and well wishes from the rest of the group.

As they dispersed, Dean could hear snippets of conversation: "OTP!" "Have you read that Coffee Shop AU where they…" "My favorite AU is when Sexy is really a badass monster hunter and he gets saved by…"

"Well, that was interesting," said Dean as the voices faded off into the distance.

"Hmmmm," Cas muttered thoughtfully.

"What does that mean? 'Hmmmm'. What's 'Hmmmm'?"

"Something else Charlie warned me about," Cas replied. "I fear that we may have caused some discord among that group. It seems that our presence may have ignited a shipping war of sorts."

Dean blinked.

"The hell are you talking about?"

"Shipping. Holding the hope or belief that two characters are destined to be together. Often in the romantic sense. Charlie warned me to avoid bringing up shipping preferences at this event, lest I risk alienating a significant portion of the fandom that didn't share my same views," Cas recited as though he had memorized the rules of fan etiquette or something. 

Great. The last thing Cas needed was to feel like he was responsible for ruining other people's happiness in anything. Even if that thing was as trivial as speculating on made-up characters' love lives.

"Look. Cas. You're not responsible for other people's crazy or even not-so-crazy ideas. You are as entitled to your opinion as anyone. To me, I think the important thing here is to not judge. Live and let live, I say."

"Thank you Dean. I told Sam you were more open minded than he gave you credit for when he bought you the tickets to this event as a 'prank' birthday gift."

Dean couldn't help the small swell of pride in his chest, at Cas' elevated opinion of him.

"Yeah? Well, thanks for that man. But just so you know, I am planning some payback for Sammy. So far I'm thinking; clowns. You in?"

"Really, I'm surprised you even have to ask. I am definitely in. I believe there is a circus due to visit our area next month. Shall I see about procuring some tickets? And I think Gabriel may be available to act as his personal tour guide for experience…"

"That's why you're my 'OTP', Cas," Dean said clapping Castiel on the back.

"Dean. I don't think that means what you think it means."

"Says, you," shrugged Dean as he led Cas into the main auditorium while brandishing their credentials at the door. "Let's go win that costume contest."

A short time later, back at the bunker…

"Sam. Sam! SAM!" 

Sam rounded the corner, expecting to find Charlie and Kevin had broken yet another ancient piece of equipment in the old Men of Letters war room, only to see them huddled together in front of a laptop, with their mouths agape. 

"How bad is it? Do we need to research some new protection spells or something? Should I call Dean and Cas?"

The two raised their eyes to meet Sam's as smiles began to emerge on their faces.

"Yeah, no. You might wanna take a look at this, first," Kevin advised as he turned the screen to face Sam.

There, on a social media site dedicated to posting updates on the latest Dr. Sexy Convention, was a picture of Dean and Cas at the Convention Sam had bought tickets for. 

He had half expected Dean to tackle him and rip up the tickets and throw them in his face. It would have been a good prank. Expensive, but good.

But his brother had surprised him by accepting the tickets and Cas happily agreed to accompany him. 

And while Sam had thought maybe that was just Dean's way of refusing to let Sam best him in the ongoing prank war, looking at this picture now, he was starting to rethink that theory.

There were Dean and Cas laughing and looking, for all the world to see, like they were having a great time.

But it was the comments that accompanied the picture that were most surprising (or were they?)

#Best Cosplay #These Guys are Totes Adorbs #Do they even know how cute they are?  
#Totally Committed to Characters #And Each Other #OTP FTW

Sam found himself smiling more with each subsequent picture that scrolled up the screen. Was that actually Castiel being carried, bridal style, in Dean's arms? Oh, and there they were, holding the trophy that proclaimed them winners of the Costume Contest. 

His smile quickly faded when he came to the next picture. Reposted from Dean's account. It was Dean and Cas holding out tickets…to a circus (?) The accompanying text read:

As a THANK YOU to my Baby Brother for his thoughtfulness, we got you these tix. No need to thank me. BTW, we also arranged for your escort for the event. Scroll down to the next picture to see who it is. Also, Cas says YOU'RE WELCOME ;)

Sam groaned as he the next picture revealed Gabriel with a clown nose.


End file.
